Google Maps adds COVID-19 warning message when searching for medical locations

Ben Schoon | Mar 20 2020 - 7:18 am PT

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus has many in a panic over what to do next and, potentially, could end up overwhelming the healthcare system. Now, Google Maps is providing a useful COVID-19 warning any time users search for medical locations.

A new warning message is appearing on medical-related searches and search listings on Google Maps. This message is brief, but encourages users who are searching for any sort of medical help to call their doctor before visiting the office if they suspect they are infected with COVID-19.

Clicking on that warning message brings users to the official CDC direction on the matter. As that website details, calling doctors before visiting an office is a precaution to “help the office protect themselves and other patients.” This makes sense, of course, as the virus is so highly infectious.

Notably, Google Maps is showing this COVID-19 on all platforms. On Android devices, it appears in search results and location listings. On iOS devices and the web, we’ve only been able to verify that the message appears within the location listing as seen below. The message shows up often for searching for doctor’s offices, but is also appearing for blood banks and other medical-related locations.

Previously, Google encouraged business owners to update their listings to note any effects of the outbreak on their business, but that does not seem related to this new message.